8 Symptoms of Bad Gas in Your Car (And What to Do About It)
Is your car sputtering, stalling, or not starting properly? Before you think about taking out yet another loan for your car, the problem might simply be bad gas.
Contaminated or substandard fuel can have a huge impact on your car’s performance, leaving you frustrated and powerless. But how do you tell if bad gas is the culprit?
Signs of Bad Fuel in Your Gas Tank
1) Acceleration Problems
You’re standing at a traffic light and the light turns green. You step on the gas, expecting a wave of acceleration, but instead… nothing happens. Your car hesitates, sputters, and takes a long time to get up to speed (or doesn’t accelerate at all). This may sound familiar, but bad fuel could be the cause of your car’s poor performance.
2) Rough Idling
When your car is idling, it should run smoothly at a constant speed with no strange noises or vibrations. If you notice issues like rough idling, sputtering, shuddering, or even stalling, these could be a sign of bad fuel. Contaminants in the fuel can cause uneven combustion, resulting in these symptoms.
3) Unusual Speed Changes
Driving with bad fuel may feel like a roller coaster, but it’s not fun. One moment you’re driving at a constant speed, and the next, your car suddenly lurches forward or loses power completely.
These erratic changes in speed are not only frustrating but also dangerous, making it difficult to maintain control of your vehicle. If your car seems to start moving on its own in terms of speed, be sure to check the quality of your fuel.
4) Poor fuel economy
If you notice that your car is using more fuel than usual or that your mileage has dropped significantly, it could be because of contaminated fuel.
Simply put, bad gas doesn’t burn as well as good gas. As a result, you have to use more fuel to produce the same amount of energy as good, clean fuel. Your engine has to work harder to compensate for the lower quality fuel, resulting in increased fuel consumption.
5) Damaged Fuel Filter
The fuel filter is responsible for preventing dirt, debris, and other contaminants from entering your car’s engine. If that happens, it can have devastating consequences.
So if your fuel filter is damaged, the actual filtration process may not take place, which results in very little gasoline being used in the combustion process. It’s a good idea to check your fuel filter regularly to make sure it’s working as intended.
6) Check Engine Light
When your car’s check engine light comes on, it could be a sign of a variety of issues, including bad fuel. Through sensors such as the O2 sensor, your vehicle can detect a fuel problem and turn on the check engine light.
If you notice this light coming on along with other symptoms of poor fuel, the first thing you should do is scan your car for any stored trouble codes.
7) Motor Stalls
Right now, you’re driving your car and going about your business. The next moment, the engine will squeak, cough, stall, and roll onto the side of the road.
If this sounds all too familiar, bad fuel could be the culprit (among other possibilities). When contaminants like water or dirt in the fuel prevent proper combustion, the engine can suddenly stall, which is one of the worst symptoms.
8) Engine Starting Problems
Starting your car should be easy. Just turn the key (or press a button), hear the engine start, and off you go. But when you’re dealing with bad fuel, even the simplest tasks can become difficult.
If you notice that your engine won’t start when you turn the key repeatedly, you should check the quality of your fuel. This is especially true if you’ve experienced other symptoms listed here.
Water (the most common contaminant)
One of the most common causes of contaminated fuel is water. If water gets in your gas tank, it can damage your engine. But how does water get into the fuel system?
Condensation is a big factor, especially if you live in a cold climate. Fluctuating temperatures can cause moisture to build up inside your gas tank, leading to water contamination.
Another cause of water getting into your fuel is a damaged gas station water purification filter. If your gas pump filter isn’t working properly, it may not be able to remove water from the fuel before it enters your tank. Unfortunately, there is little you can do to prevent water contamination from poorly maintained gas stations. Fortunately, the chances of this happening are pretty low (especially at newer gas stations).
However, you can minimize condensation in your gas tank by keeping your gas tank at least half full and, if possible, parking your vehicle in a garage where the temperatures are not as high as outside.
Stale Fuel Not only water, but fuel can also spoil if not used for an extended period of time. Over time, gasoline can deteriorate and become less effective, which can cause starting problems and poor performance. If you think the fuel has gone bad due to age, we recommend that you dispose of it properly and refill the tank with new gasoline.